Don't Lie to Me
by elvendork-luvs-ginny
Summary: Hunter Longbottom struggles with whether to tell a Muggle girl he likes the fact he is a wizard. He doesn't want to lie to her, but he can't break Wizard law. I don't own Harry Potter or the lyrics to the songs in the story.
1. First Meeting

"Hey, that girl over there is pretty cute. Why don't you go try to help her carry her stuff?" Neville Longbottom was sitting outside a Muggle ice cream shop with his grandson, Hunter. They were enjoying their summer afternoon together exploring London. No matter how "uncool" it was; Hunter loved hanging out with his grandfather.

He looked up to see what his grandfather was talking about. A girl of about seventeen was struggling with several bags. She was very cute. She had shoulder length, curly, brown hair and what looked to be brown eyes. "Grandpa, I can't just leave you here," Hunter said after a long look at the girl.

"Oh, I'm fine. You don't want to miss an opportunity like that." Neville nodded towards the girl and winked. Hunter got up and started walking across the street. He continually told himself that he was just going to ask if she wanted help, that's it. About three quarters of the way across the road Hunter looked back to his grandfather for support but he was nowhere to be seen. That was just like him.

"Here we go," Hunter thought as he approached the girl. "Do you need help carrying your bags?" He was looking at her hopefully, and to his surprise she smiled at him.

"Really? That would help a lot! Thank you so much." Hunter took most of the bags. "Do you mind taking these to my house? It's not too far of a walk."

Hunter could only manage to shake his head. She was much prettier up close, and her eyes were brown. "My name is Hunter, by the way," he finally said.

"I'm Hallie." Even though he was in Gryffindor, Hunter was never too brave around girls. They walked a few blocks when Hallie turned into a house. "Just put the stuff in the hallway, I'll get them later. I really appreciate you helping me. Hey, listen, I know we just met, but do you want to go hang out and maybe get some ice cream or something? I understand if you don't but I just thought-" She broke off. Never before had she been so nervous around a guy.

"No! I would love to!" Hunter said with a slight chuckle. She didn't have to know that he just come from the ice cream shop.

On their way back to the ice cream shop Hallie started telling Hunter about herself. She loved reading and writing stories. Her parents got divorced when she was only three. She had two successful older sisters. "I mean they both have great jobs, and they're both married. They're both much prettier than I am." She tried to keep going, but Hunter cut her off.

"Well I think you are really beautiful," he said without realizing what he said.

"Aww thank you! You're really sweet!" Hunter was very shocked at this reaction, though he liked it. The ice cream was purchased, and no matter how much Hallie tried to pay Hunter would not let her. She didn't need to pay him back. In his mind she was paying him back by just being with him and being friendly. The rest of the afternoon passed with a lot of talking and laughing. Hunter was having a great time and it seemed that Hallie was too. Even though he had only spent a couple hours with her, Hunter felt different about Hallie. He had been with a few girls before, some more intimately than he would like to admit, but something was different. He didn't know what it was. She was amazing. It was too good to be true. She had to have a boyfriend. There is no way she couldn't.

"You never told me what school you go to," Hallie said as the sun was starting to fall out of the sky.

"Oh no!" Hunter thought. "I can't tell her about Hogwarts." He would have to make something up. "I uhh... I'm homeschooled."

"That's really cool! Do you think i could have your number so we can talk?"

Now he would have to make another lie. He hated that he had to lie to her. "My parents don't allow me to have a phone." At this point he could see the smile disappearing from her face. He couldn't lose her this easily. "But... But I have this owl. Yeah, this owl that I trained to deliver messages. We could send each other letters if you would like."

"Don't lie to me!" She said this playfully, but she was actually hurt by this. She liked him, and she thought she liked him too. He was lying to her. This was why she had never been with anyone before; she always fell for jerks.

"No! I'm not lying! I really do. I know it sounds odd but trust me. Just give me your address and I'll send you a letter tonight. I promise." This wasn't a lie. He really had an owl. It was a present for being named a prefect the year before. She gave him her address.

It was getting late, and both teens needed to be heading off. They said their goodbyes and Hallie went in for a quick hug. This caused Hunter to blush, and he turned to walk back to his grandfather's house. He never thought of his grandfather as a man who knew a lot about girls.

That night Hunter told his grandfather about his afternoon. He didn't leave any details out.

"Don't lie to me," Neville chuckled as he sent his grandson off to bed.


	2. Late Night Letters

The second that Hunter got into his room he found some parchment and a quill and started on his letter. There was so much he wanted to say. He wanted to tell her everything he felt about her. This was easier said than done. The words wouldn't come to him. There was also the fact that he was a wizard. She couldn't find out about that. After several agonizing minutes the decision came. Just wing it. That's what he had done with every other girl he liked.

-

Dear Hallie,

Like I promised I'm writing you this letter. I know it's weird, but it's the only thing I have. I really enjoyed being with you today, and I hope you enjoyed yourself, as well. This is really a pathetic excuse for a letter, but to tell you the truth, I don't really know what to say. There is something I want to tell you. I'm actually kind of scared to say it. I also know that there's no way that you feel the same way. There's no other way to say it, so I'm just going to go ahead and say it. I like you, as more than a friend. I know we just met, but I really feel different about you than I have with any other girl. Now you think I'm creepy and weird. You probably wont want to tell your boyfriend about this. Well, I guess I'll see you later, hopefully.

Hunter

PS: The owl's name is Dirk. He wont bite. He just likes to be petted.

-

Hunter walked over to his large, chocolate brown Eagle Owl named Dirk. The owl nibbled on his fingers, happy to finally be free of his cage. The letter was attached to the bird's leg, as Hunter set him off with the address. "And do try to hurry for once!" he shouted out the window at the bird. Dirk had been known to go on long hunting trips while delivering letters.

A couple of hours later Hunter was in bed, staring up at the ceiling with a thousand thoughts racing through his head. He really liked Hallie, but he would be going to Hogwarts soon. None of it really mattered to him anyway. She just had to have a boyfriend. There was no way around it. He missed her. That sounded weird, but he did. He had to tell her about Hogwarts and being a wizard. Would that be breaking the law? There was a rather loud tapping on the window. It was Dirk. Hunter sprang out of bed and opened the window. The owl hopped in excitedly and hooted. Hunter took the letter from Dirk, as the owl swooped out the window to go hunting.

-

Dear Hunter,

Thank you so much for the letter! To tell you the truth I didn't expect to get one. Sorry. I thought you were going to stand me up. And we just met. How could you like me after just that one meeting? How could you even like me at all? Honestly...I've never had a boyfriend before. Guys just don't like me. I really like you a lot, but not in the way that you like me. I'm sorry. I really hope we can continue to talk this way. I think it's really cool that you have a trained owl! For your information, I don't find you creepy or weird. You're nice and sweet. I also enjoyed this afternoon. I haven't had that much fun in I don't know how long. I'm not sure how quickly I will be able to respond to you. I need to be getting ready for classes to start up again, and then when they do start. There's something I want to ask you. What do you like about me? I know that's really awkward. You don't have to answer that if you don't want to. But if you do; don't lie to me.

Hallie

-

Hunter smirked as he finished the letter. He folded it back up and set it on the dresser. There would be time to write back in the morning, but now it was time to finally get some sleep.


	3. A Genius Plan

Hunter got up and wrote to Hallie. He told her how he loved her fun, random personality, and that she could actually hold an intellectual conversation. There was also that thing about her being the most beautiful girl he had ever seen in his life. That did seem a bit extreme, but everything was extreme about his feelings towards her. He still didn't know how or why these feelings were so extreme. They had just met! This is crazy!

Summer was drawing to a close quickly. Hunter had to return home before going off to his sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The last week at his grandfather's was uneventful. There were no letters from Hallie. He missed her, a lot. Though he tried to tell her that he was imagining things when he thought about her so much.

"Well, have fun at school this year, kiddo. Don't get in too much trouble," Neville said as his grandson was preparing to leave for home.

"I never get in trouble, Grandpa. I'm one of those good kids," Hunter laughed as he said this. He hugged his grandfather and said, "I love you, Grandpa. See you over break."

"I love you too, bud."

With a loud pop Hunter Disapparated onto a semi-busy London street. He landed and wobbled a little, still not used to the sensation. During his several hours of thinking he came up with a plan. He had to see Hallie one more time before going to Hogwarts for the year. The plan was genius! Hunter doubted whether a Ravenclaw could come up with a smarter plan. It was also , what he thought, a very romantic plan. He got the idea from a really old Muggle movie that he watched one night with his grandfather. The movie was called _Say Anything._

Hunter went across the street into a dark alley to retrieve what he had hidden only the night before. He picked up what the Muggles called a boombox. This was an extremely old music player. The plan had been about a week in the making. He had to find one of these boomboxes, and how to use it. Luckily the old man who owned the pawn shop he bought it from knew exactly how it worked. Almost forgetting the music, Hunter had to go back to the same man. Once again luck was on his side as the man had the exact song Hunter needed.

"Oh no!" Hunter thought. "What if she wasn't home?" He snuck up to the side of the house only to see Hallie sitting in her pajamas on the couch watching the television. Hunter couldn't help but stare at her for a moment. She looked gorgeous. Her hair was very messy and she wasn't wearing any makeup. She looked perfect. Pulling himself away from the window, Hunter prepared the boombox and set it on the ground. He pointed it towards the window. It was now or never. He pressed play.

_(In your eyes)  
the light the heat  
(In your eyes)  
I am complete  
(In your eyes)  
I see the doorway to a thousand churches  
(In your eyes)  
the resolution of all the fruitless searches  
(In your eyes)  
Oh, I see the light and the heat  
(In your eyes)_

The brunette girl's head popped out of the window to see where the music was coming from. In front of her was Hunter with a big smile on his face. He shut off the music and walked to the window.

"What are you doing here? What was with the music? Oh no. You can't see me like this. I look terrible!" Hallie was spluttering out questions until Hunter interrupted her.

"Stop it. You look gorgeous. I don't know what you're talking about looking 'terrible.' That's insane. I just wanted to see you before I went back home. I thought you might like the music but i guess not-" he trailed off.

"No! I loved it! It was a really sweet idea. I'm glad you came over," she said. Before Hunter knew what was going on she had leaned out the window and gave him a hug. She almost fell out the window, but Hunter caught her.

"Thanks," she replied with a smile.

"I would never let you fall," he said back to her. This gave her an even bigger smile.

"Well, I really need to be getting home now. Will I get to see you during Christmas?" She nodded and smiled. This time it was Hunter who went in for a hug and was surprised when he received a quick kiss on the cheek, making him blush. They said their final good-byes then Hunter turned on his heel to leave. Hallie stopped him.

"Hunter! Wait!" She turned and ran back through the house and returned with a letter. "Here, I thought this would be easier than sending Dirk." She smiled at him and, he returned the smile, taking the letter.

"Bye."

"Bye. I'll write back as soon as I can," he called as he was walking away.

"Don't lie to me!" she shouted back, waving. Hunter then went back to the dark alley and Disapparated back home with a large grin on his face.


	4. Dream On

The Hogwarts Express rambled on and on, steadily getting closer to the school, as Hunter sat in a compartment with his best friend James and James's girlfriend, Deanna. Hunter and James had been friends practically their entire lives. Like all friends, they had their disagreements. The newest disagreement was sitting across from Hunter and cuddled a little too intimately next to James. Deanna was known for her openness of her sexuality. She has been with many guys in the school, as well as a few girls. James insisted that she had changed, but Hunter wouldn't believe it.

After the lunch Hunter began his reply letter to Hallie. He tried to do this as discretely as possible, but James caught him. "Who are you writing to? Can't miss your mum already, can you?" he joked.

"No. Just this girl I met," Hunter replied, nonchalantly. This grabbed James's attention.

"So is she hot? How did you meet? Wait. If you just met then she has to be a Muggle!" At this he spoke more rapidly. "You're going to send Dirk to a Muggle? What are you, stupid?" He kept going on and on.

"Would you shut up already?" Hunter asked with a laugh. Never have been one to hide anything with his friend, Hunter explained everything that happened that summer. He would have liked if Deanna would have left, but she didn't. She made him feel very uncomfortable, and he could have swore he saw her give him a wink or two. Hunter didn't want to discuss this matter anymore and he hoped that Deanna would distract James. Luck was on his side, and within minutes they were wrapped around each other. It was as if Hunter wasn't even there. He didn't mind. Normally this would annoy him, but this was a good excuse to be left alone. The problem was he couldn't think of what to write. After a few quick notes on how much he liked her letter, Hunter sent Dirk off. Several minutes of sitting and staring out the window passed before Hunter dozed off.

_He was standing in the middle of a room crowded with people. They were all looking at him. Upon looking down Hunter saw that he was wearing a tuxedo. Someone stepped towards him and grabbed his hand. He looked up into the most beautiful brown eyes he had ever seen. This girl was wearing a white dress. _

_"How could anyone look that beautiful?" he thought to himself. A smile appeared on his face, and it was returned. She wrapped her arms around his neck while staring up at him. He took this as a sign and put his hands on her waist. This is what true happiness was. Nothing could take away from this moment. If only it could last forever. The two lovers swayed with the music for a few minutes, not daring to move their eyes away from each other. _

_"I love you," she whispered up to him. Somehow, his smile got wider. _

_"I love you too," he said back. As he said this he leaned over and gently caressed his lips against hers. There were a few "Awes" and cheers from the crowd at this. _

_"Yeah, it just got better," the voice in his head said with a chuckle. She rested her head on his shoulder as the song drew to a close. Nothing was on his mind except for the beautiful woman in front of him. He would do anything to be with her the rest of his life. _

"Get up! Get up!"

Hunter awoke with a start. It had been James who was shaking him and yelling. "Get off me already!" He slapped James' arms away. It was only a dream, a great dream, but only a dream. Hunter knew who the girl was. There wasn't anyone else it could be. But how could it be her? These kinds of dreams shouldn't be happening. She had said that she loved him. He did like how that sounded. "Yeah, dream on," his mind told him.

"Good to see you're awake, Sunshine. Have a nice sleep?" James asked him with a smirk.

"Have a nice snog?" Hunter retorted. The smirk was gone instantly. The sky outside the train had turned black, and the train was at a standstill at the Hogsmead Station. People were filing down the corridors and out onto the platform. Hunter picked up Dirk's cage and left the compartment. They got into a carriage. Deanna was no where to be seen, but that didn't bother Hunter at all.

Sitting inside was fellow Gryffindor, Gale Evans. Gale was in his fifth year at Hogwarts. He was a beater on the Quidditch along with Hunter. He was also what you would call a man's man. Besides James, Gale was Hunter's closest friend. James and Gale started discussing the upcoming Quidditch season, but Hunter wasn't interested. He only wanted to get to the feast and then straight to bed. He looked out the window and up at the moon. His mind trailed away to it's happiest place: Hallie. He could see her distinctly in his mind. He could even hear her talking. She had an amazing voice. It was sweet and gentle, but at the same time cute and playful, just like her personality. Then there was silence in the compartment. James and Gale were staring at Hunter.

"What's up with you?" Gale asked Hunter.

Instead it was James who answered. "Oh, he's just in love with a Muggle girl he met in London over the summer."

"Shut up! I'm not in love with her!" He swung his fist in James's direction who quickly dodged it.

"Don't lie to me," James replied as Gale laughed. They arrived at the castle without further mention of the subject. The Sorting Ceremony seemed to take no time at all, much to Hunter's liking. The feast was, as usual, delicious. Hunter took second helpings of all of his favorite foods. He was relieved when the school was dismissed to bed by Professor Finnick Hudson, the current Hogwarts Headmaster. Seeing as he was a Prefect, Hunter led the first years up to Gryffindor Tower.

"Insomniac," he said to the portrait of the Fat Lady. The portrait hole was revealed, and he climbed through and went straight up to bed after telling the new students where to go. Hopefully he could get a good nights sleep in before lessons the next day. He could only hope that his dreams would be filled with the beautiful Muggle girl that had filled his mind for weeks. "Dream on," he told himself. Her face was the last thing to go through his mind as he drifted off into a deep sleep.


	5. Can't Fight This Feeling

Dear Hunter,

Hey, there's something I've wanted to tell you for a while. The thing is I don't know exactly how to tell you. So, I guess, I'll have to tell you in my next letter. I hope you are well.

Sincerely Hallie.

The weather was getting drastically colder as Hunter walked down to Care of Magical Creatures. He had received the letter at breakfast, but thought it best to read it alone on his way to class. She has said she wanted to tell him something. This both scared and intrigued Hunter. He ran through all the possibilities in his head. None of these, however, turned out very well for Hunter. They all included Hallie either not wanting to be friends anymore or getting a boyfriend. A tight knot formed in the pit of his stomach. It was tearing at his insides. He hadn't even received the letter yet, and he dreaded the moment.

The rest of the day was spent on thinking of what he would say. Later that night Hunter got out a piece of parchment and a quill.

Dear Hallie,

I can't wait to hear back from you. I'm doing well, and I hope you are too. Just don't lie to me.

Sincerely Hunter.

It had to be the lamest letter ever written, but it would have to suffice. He folded up the note and went up to bed. Several hours were spent tossing and turning. Sleep was no where to be found. Images of Hallie in the arms of another guy ran through his head. He hated this thought, but even with another guy she still looked amazing. He wished he had a picture of her.

"Wow, why are you such a creep?" he told himself quietly, so he would not wake up his roommates. Finally, out of pure exhaustion, Hunter fell into a restless sleep.

A couple of weeks passed without any response from Hallie. This only made the knot in Hunter's stomach get tighter and tighter. He wondered what could be taking her so long. The only solution that came to mind was bad news. He sat down to breakfast across from Gale on an uncommonly warm Saturday.

"Where's James?" Gale asked as Hunter spooned eggs onto his plate.

"I dunno. I would guess a broom closet with his girlfriend," he replied in a dull tone.

"This early?" Gale laughed.

"Probably still there from last night," Hunter replied as both boys laughed loudly. The owls arrived with the morning post. This was the most depressing part of the day for Hunter. He looked up just enough to see that Gale had gotten a package from his snowy owl. Trying to focus on the sausages in front of him; Hunter felt pecking on his shoulder. Dirk hooted quietly at him, holding out a letter on his leg.

"It's about time you got here!" Hunter said, tearing open the letter. The writing was not the neat, small print he expected. It was much larger and, in a way, chaotic.

Dear Hunter,

I was walking down the street in London when an owl landed on my shoulder. Dirk never seems to be where he should, does he? Well, I thought I would send you a letter seeing as Dirk was here. I talked to your mother, and she said that you were coming to my house for Christmas. I can't wait to see you. I've been meaning to send you this letter for a while. I met that girl you talked to during the summer. She says that you two have been writing to each other. Your parents won't let you have a phone and you trained an owl to send letters? Well, I must say that you are better with the women than I was at your age, or even at my age. I hope your classes are going well. I'll see you soon.

Love Grandpa

Hunter smiled. He was disappointed that the letter wasn't from Hallie, but his grandfather always seemed to be able to cheer him up. Dirk hopped over and stole a piece of toast and flew off the table.

"Hey, get back here!" Hunter shouted to his owl. Dirk returned to the table. "Go to Hallie, and bug her until she gives you a letter for me." The owl hooted, seeming to understand and took off once again.

"Girl troubles?" Gale asked.

"Not really. Just expecting a letter. Hallie told me that she wanted to tell me something, so now I'm just waiting."

"Oh, I bet she likes you."

"Haha. I wish, but she already told me she didn't like me that way," he said with a sigh. Out of the corner of his eye he made out the figures of James and Deanna walking towards the table. He looked at Gale, they both got up and walked right past the two. They looked as if they didn't sleep at all the night before. James looked dumbfounded as his friends walked off. He didn't seem to understand why they didn't want to be around him anymore.

Hunter went back up to the sixth year's dormitory and pulled out a stack of letters from his trunk. This had become a habit in recent weeks. He would look over the letters for hours on end. She even had beautiful handwriting.

"Is there anything about her that isn't beautiful?" he would think to himself. The answer was always "No."

Hunter was awoken from his haze when Gale practically broke the door off it's hinges. "Come on! We've got Quidditch practice in ten minutes!" he shouted. Hunter scrambled and threw the letters in his trunk and grabbed his broom and Quidditch robes. The boys ran all the way down to the pitch, just in time for practice. It was one of the better practices Hunter had in the past few weeks. He had been somewhat distracted as of late. Although the rest of his team would say he was very distracted. At least he didn't hit himself with the bat this time.

The letter finally arrived two days later. He thanked Dirk for his good work and tore open the letter. Whatever was in the letter needed to be read, whether it was good or bad.

Dear Hunter,

I'm so sorry it took so long to reply. As I said, I couldn't think of a good way to tell you. I did promise you I would so here goes nothing. As you probably already know I'm not very good with words. So I kind of had to steal these. "My life has been such a whirlwind since I saw you I've been runnin round in circles in my mind And it always seems that I'm following you 'cause you take me to the places that alone I'd never find. And even as I wander I'm keeping you in sight you're a candle in the window on a cold dark winter's night And I'm getting closer than I every thought I might And I can't fight this feeling anymore I've forgotten what I've started fighting for It's time to bring this ship into the shore And throw away the oars forever." What I'm trying to tell you is that I like you. As more than a friend. You're really sweet, and you make me smile a lot. You're pretty cute too. Also, I talked to your grandfather the other day. I don't know how he recognized me. He said that you were staying at his house for Christmas. I was wondering if you might want to come see me? If you're not too busy, that is. See you soon, hopefully

Sincerely Hallie.

A smile slowly crept onto Hunter's face. He had almost forgotten what it was like to be this happy. Nothing could bring him down from this emotional high. She liked him, actually liked him! This was much more than he ever expected. He wanted to show her how much she mean to him. This was easier said than done.

He turned to James. "What's the date?"

"Uhh... December 4th," he replied. There was no way that it was already December. This did give him a good idea, though. He climbed into bed that night with happy thoughts swimming through his mind.

"I'll buy her a Christmas present."


	6. Pre Christmas Blunders

It didn't take Hunter long to find a fault in his plan. He had no idea what would be an appropriate present to give a girl, especially a girl he liked. Never before had he had to get a Christmas present for a girl, other than his own mother. This was very troubling. There was just over a week until the last Hogsmeade trip of the term. Then he would be returning home for the holiday. The present had to be perfect. If Hallie liked it, he would hopefully be one step closer to being with her. He would have to ask a girl. The thing was he did not have a lot of girl friends. There was only one solution to this problem, and he absolutely hated it.

Hunter did not know when he would have a chance to ask, and it wasn't something he was looking forward to. The opportunity arose the next Tuesday after Defense Against the Dark Arts. "Hey, Deanna, do you think I could have a private word?"

"Of course you can," she said with a sly look. They walked down the corridor together until Deanna pulled them into an empty classroom. "Now, what is it you wanted to talk about?"

"I needed to ask you a question. I couldn't think of anyone else I could go to. It's about Hallie. I want to get her a Christmas present, but I don't know what to get her. What would you suggest I get her?"

"Well, I guess it all depends on what she likes," she began to move closer as Hunter backed himself into a corner. "You could get her some flowers... or candy... or nice jewelry... or this..." She was kissing him for a couple seconds before Hunter realized what was going on and pushed her away.

"What do you think you're doing!" he bellowed at her, his eyes filled with rage. "You're dating my best friend." Hunter went for the door, but it was quickly blocked. "Let me out!"

"I don't know what you could possibly see in her. She can't be as great as me. And she definitely doesn't have these." At this she pointed down to her chest. "You could have them whenever you wanted if you would come over to my side."

"You know, there are more important things in the world than sex. I love Hallie because she's caring, and sweet, and smart, funny, and she makes me smile no matter what!" He just said that he loved her. Never before had he said that out loud. It was a mistake. He couldn't love her. "I mean, I like her because of that stuff."

"Yeah, but she can't give you all the pleasure I can," she said, as she started advancing on him again. Hunter was prepared this time.

"Petrificus Totalus!" Deanna went rigid and fell over onto the hard floor. Hunter stepped over her and out the door, still fuming. He ran into James in the Common Room.

"What's wrong with you?" James asked.

"Your girlfriend is mental! She just kissed me!" he shouted back.

James laughed at this. "Are you sure you weren't just day dreaming? I mean, she is way out of your league. You're just jealous that I can actually get a girlfriend and you can't. It's not my fault that the best you can do is some Muggle!" James said, as his face turned a shade of dark red.

Hunter launched himself at James, trying with all his might to inflict some sort of pain on his friend. He was fed up with his friend's attitude of late. Seeing the fight start, Gale jumped up from his seat on the couch and easily broke the two friends apart. James turned on his heel and left the Common Room.

"What's your problem?" Gale asked as calmly as possible. Hunter retold everything that happened from after class to the fight. "Don't worry about that. It's their problem. Look on the bright side. It's almost Christmas. You get to go home and see your girl."

"Yeah, well, she's not my girl," was all he could manage to reply.

"You know what I mean." A smile creeped its way onto Hunter's face. At least one good thing did come from this: he got some ideas for "his girl."

That Saturday morning, Hunter got dressed and prepared to go to Hogsmeade. This was his only chance to get his present for Hallie. The next day he would be going home for the holidays. He had not talked to or even acknowledged James since their fight. He felt that there were better things to worry about. In the Common Room waiting were Gale and Hunter's fellow sixth year, Shawn Isner.

It was a cold, windy day. The three Gryffindors decided to visit The Three Broomsticks first to warm up with some butterbeer. They discussed the Quidditch season and different strategies. Hunter was paying just enough attention to interject a comment every now and then. He just wanted to get his shopping for the day done. After an hour, or so, Hunter started getting anxious.

"Hey, let's get going. I want to get back to the castle so I can pack," he said.

"No you don't. You just want to go buy that girl's Christmas present," Gale replied in a sarcastic tone.

"And there's that," Hunter said, and the three boys laughed. They paid for the drinks and left the pub.

"Lead the way, Romeo," Gale laughed, causing Hunter to punch him. They worked their way up to Tomes and Scrolls, the local bookstore. Hallie loved books, so a book was a great gift idea. The problem was most of the books in the store were magical in some way. After quite a bit of searching Hunter happened upon one of his favorite books from his childhood, The Tales of Beedle the Bard. It may be a bunch of fairy tales, but he figured that Hallie would enjoy them.

"You're getting her that?" Gale asked.

"How am I supposed to know what would be a good gift? Do I look like a girl?... Don't answer that," Hunter replied. He purchased the book and went down to Honeyduke's and bought some chocolate. The last stop of the afternoon was the jewelry store.

"Every girl likes jewelry, right?" Hunter said as they entered the store. He definitely had no clue about jewels. With the help of Gale and Shawn; Hunter chose a pair of silver earrings with rubies. Pleased with his purchases of the day, Hunter returned to the castle to finish packing. Everything was ready for the trip home. He crawled into bed knowing that within forty-eight hours he could be seeing Hallie again. He couldn't believe it! "Don't lie to me," he told himself as he drifted off to sleep.


	7. Unexpected Gifts

"3:30. 3:30. 3:30," Hunter repeated to himself. Hallie's letter said to meet her at 3:30 at her house. In his arms were the presents he had bought for Hallie. He was very excited when he received her letter asking him to meet her. Taking a deep breath, he walked up the steps and knocked on the door. After what seemed like forever, the door opened. She was wearing a navy blue sweater and jeans, and her hair was pulled back. Hunter found the simplicity of her attire very attractive.

"Hey! I'm so glad you made it!" She pulled him into a hug and into the house. "Did you have a good Christmas?"

"Yeah, did you?"

"I did!" She noticed the packages in his hand but didn't say anything. As they went into the living room she continued to glance down at them.

"You know they're for you; so why don't you just ask?" Hunter said with a grin on his face.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she replied, blushing.

"Happy Christmas, Hallie." He handed her the gifts. When he saw the disappointed look on her face he added, "Don't worry about it. I wanted to surprise you. And I definitely didn't want you to get me anything, so open them." He gave her a reassuring smile, and she sat down and started to tear off the paper.

The chocolate was first, followed by a squeal and a hug. Then came the book. "Those were some fairy tales my mother used to read to me when I was little. I thought you might like them. I don't think you've ever heard them before."

"Babbitty Rabbitty. That's a silly name. I know I'll love them," she said as her smiled broadened. Only the earrings remained. She carefully opened the last box.

Hunter's smiled dropped as he saw the expression on her face. It was not the one he expected. She seemed sort of disappointed. "Is something wrong?"

"No, it's just I'm not really a big fan of rubies," she said sheepishly.

"Oh, I'm really sorry. I can take them back if you like. I didn't know." All the sudden Hallie busted out in laughter. This was very perplexing. First, she didn't like the gift, now she was laughing at him. "Why are you laughing?"

Hallie could tell he was hurt so she fessed up. "Are you kidding? They're gorgeous! They look so expensive. I can't believe you bought these for me. You really shouldn't have. Now I feel bad for not getting you anything."

Hunter just sat there, mouth ajar. After a few awkward moments he said, "How could you do that? I really thought you hated it!"

"I'm sorry! I couldn't resist."

"You're just lucky you're cute."

"Really now?"

"Yes, really." Somehow their smiles got even bigger.

"How do I look?" she asked after putting the earrings in.

"Absolutely hideous," he laughed, causing Hallie to hit him. "Hey! No need for that. You know you look gorgeous."

"Sure, whatever you say."

"Do you want to go for a walk, or something?" he asked. She agreed and got her coat. The two friends spent the rest of the afternoon walking the streets of London, catching one another up. Hunter, of course, had to lie about some of the things he said.

It wasn't like when they first met. They were both smiling and happy, but something was different. There was something more. Hunter couldn't take his eyes off her. This caused him to trip on the sidewalk several times, to which Hallie laughed.

"It's getting kinda late. We should probably head back," Hunter said. Snow was falling steadily as the sky had begun to darken.

Hallie sighed and replied, "Yeah, I suppose we should." Her face was downcast, so Hunter asked what was wrong. "I don't know. I guess I just don't want to go back."

Hunter was taken aback by this comment. "Really? I thought that was just me." She smiled at him and reached over and took his hand in hers. They walked back hand in hand, without talking, just enjoying each other's company. Hunter opened the front gate and led Hallie to the door step.

"You really have no idea how much I love spending time with you," Hunter said in little more than a whisper.

"I think I have an idea," she replied, squeezing his hand gently. She glanced up but did not look back down. Hunter looked up to see what she was looking at. Above their heads was a little, green vine with berries scattered through the plant. Mistletoe.

"You know what that means, right?" she asked him.

"No. We can't. I mean, it's your first kiss. It should be something special. It should be something you decide," he stammered. Though, the voice in his head was telling him the direct opposite. She was practically inviting him to kiss her. He had dreamed about that for months. "Just do it, you idiot!" his inner voice shouted at him.

"This is what I decided." She pulled him down and kissed him with all the passion she could muster. The snow whipped all around them. It was complete bliss. Neither of them had ever felt better in their entire lives. Finally, they broke apart.

"When will we see each other again?" Hallie asked.

"Not soon enough," he said back. A tear fell from Hallie's eye. "Hey! What's wrong?"

"It's just... This all seems too good to be true. I have no idea why you would even like me. I don't want this to be just a one time deal."

Hunter wiped the lone tear from her cheek and said, "I'll be back. I promise. Probably sooner than either of us expect.

"Don't lie to me. Please," she pleaded.

"I'll be back, but if you find some other guy just know I will be happy for you."

"You don't have to worry. Guys don't like me."

"And what does that make me?" he asked making her laugh quietly. He leaned in and gently brushed his lips against hers, smiling.

"Happy Christmas, Hunter."

"Happy Christmas, Hallie."


	8. The Good News and the Bad

Hunter was not able to see Hallie the rest of break. He returned to Hogwarts feeling downcast about the whole situation. Many different thoughts ran through his mind. He now missed Hallie more than ever, but he wasn't too sure on the status of their relationship. A long distance relationship wasn't what Hunter wanted, though he was afraid that if he told Hallie she would be devastated. If he was going to be with her he wanted to be able to see her. Seeing as he couldn't; a relationship was a bad idea.

Hunter was sitting by himself at Gryffindor table the morning that term resumed. He was moving his food around his plate with a fork, not having an appetite. The morning owls arrived, and out of instinct he looked up. Dirk was soaring down towards him with a letter in his beak.

"Thanks, bud," Hunter said half-heartedly, stroking the owl a few times before he took off again. He opened the letter and saw Hallie's neat handwriting

Dear Hunter,

Starting off; thank you for giving me the best Christmas ever! I can't really explain how amazing it was. It all seemed so perfect, almost magical. And I could not ask for more than this time together, I could not ask for more than this time with you. Every prayer has been answered, every dream I have's come true. But there is something important I need to tell you. I'm not really sure what our relationship status is, but I really don't want to be in a relationship with you right now. I want to be in a relationship where I'll be able to see you. I'm sorry, but that's the way I feel.

Can't wait to see you again, Hallie.

Hunter had to read the letter through a couple times before it set in. She agreed with him, which was a good thing. The letter did make him miss her more than ever. He began to think about the future. It was inevitable that he would have to tell her that he was a wizard. There was no way she would believe him at first, but he felt it would have to happen eventually. Hunter was so wrapped up in his thoughts he didn't feel the tap on his shoulder. He spun around to see James standing behind him.

"Hey, can we talk?" James asked him.

"Yeah, fine," was all Hunter could say back. This was the first time they spoke since the incident with Deanna.

"Look, I'm really sorry about blowing up on you about Deanna. You were right about her. I caught her cheating on me with another guy... and a girl. So I'm really sorry, and I was a complete idiot."

"It's about time you figured that out. And you were an idiot," Hunter said back. "But, I guess, you learned your lesson. Sorry, man." They shook hands.

Hunter replied to Hallie's letter telling her how much he loved Christmas as well and agreed with her on their relationship. He was much happier now. He felt like he had something to look forward to. The next two months seemed to fly by. Life was great for Hunter. His classes were going well and the Gryffindor Quidditch team was better than ever. Hunter liked having James back on his side. Then there was Hallie. Their friendship was better than ever. Hunter's stack of letters was beginning to get hard to hide in his trunk.

One night, after Quidditch practice, Hunter and Gale were walking up to Gryffindor Tower when they were stopped by a first year girl with green, almond shaped eyes. The girl seemed familiar to Hunter, though he couldn't place it.

"Excuse me. Umm... Hunter, Professor Hudson wants you in his office right away. He says it's important," the little girl stammered.

"You're in trouble now!" Gale teased, pushing Hunter up the stairs.

Hunter made his way to the Headmaster's office. He realized that he did not know the password. "I don't know the password," he said aloud. The gargoyle must have known Hunter was supposed to be there because it enabled him to pass. He knocked on the door and it swung open. Behind the large desk sat Professor Finnick Hudson, the youngest Hogwarts Headmaster in over five-hundred years.

"Please sit down," the professor said, motioning to the chair across from him. "Would you like something to drink? Some butterbeer or perhaps some pumpkin juice?"

"No, thank you," he replied taking his seat. He was starting to get worried.

"Now is not a time to beat around the bush, so I will just come out and say it. I have just received word that your grandfather is gravely ill. You will be returning home immediately," he said in a solemn voice.

Hunter laughed. "Don't lie to me. You're joking. He was perfectly fine a couple of months ago."

"I am sorry, Hunter. I wish I was lying."

Tears started to fall from Hunter's eyes. He was not worried about being brave or looking stupid in front of the Headmaster. This couldn't be happening; not to his grandfather. He found it hard to find his voice, but he managed to ask, "Will he make it?"

"They are not sure. Hurry, your Portkey is ready to take you back home where you will then travel to St. Mungos. I wish you the best of luck."

With tears pouring from his face Hunter latched onto the large book that Professor Hudson had indicated. He was pulled, starting at his navel, and was instantly gone from the Headmaster's office.


	9. Sooner Rather Than Later

Somehow, Neville managed to survive that first night, though he was still in critical care at St. Mungos. Hunter was only able to see him for a few minutes after demanding to see him and fighting with one of the Healers. He was staying at his grandparent's house in London in order to keep his grandmother company and to be closer to St. Mungos.

This did not do much good. After arriving there he did nothing but mope around the house and lay on the couch. After two days of Neville not doing any better Hunter lay curled up in a ball on the couch watching a fly buzz around the window as the rain fell from the sky outside.

"I'm going out for a little bit. I'll be back soon, sweetheart," his grandmother said. She was as greatly affected as Hunter was, though she showed it in a different way. Hunter groaned his acknowledgement. She was gone no longer than twenty minutes.

"Hunter, there's someone here to see you," she said as she went upstairs. Hunter looked up and saw a cute girl of about seventeen with shoulder length, curly, brown hair and what looked to be brown eyes. He immediately covered his face. She couldn't see him this way.

Tentatively, she walked over to the couch and sat on the edge. Hunter pushed his face deeper into the cushion. "Hunter... Hunter come on. Hunter please look at me." After several minutes she coaxed him out of the cushion. She lay down next to him and he wrapped his arm around her. They didn't move for over an hour. Hunter had his face buried into Hallie's long, wavy hair. She smelled distinctly of vanilla.

Finally, she sat up. "Come on. Talk to me," she said pulling him up. Hallie scooted closer causing a small smile to appear on Hunter's lips.

"Why are you even here?" he asked.

"Your grandmother came over and said that you were feeling down. It's weird. I've seen your grandparents more times than I've seen you."

"Lucky them. And I told you we would probably see each other sooner rather than later." Hunter felt more comfortable with Hallie than he did anywhere else. He went on to explain how depressed he was about his grandfather; how he had been his best friend for a long time. He wouldn't be able to stand it if he died. Hallie mostly listened but made the appropriate comment at the right time.

"You know I'll be here with you the whole time," Hallie said with a smile. She rested her head on his shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around her. "Hey, I have an idea! How about we go visit your grandpa in the hospital?"

"Great," Hunter thought. "I can't take her there. She can't know about magic. Besides, he's barely responsive." He looked over at her and frowned.

"Oh, Hunter, please! I really want to go see him," she quivered her bottom lip. This sent Hunter over the edge. There was no way he could resist her anymore.

Hunter took a deep breath. "Hallie, there's something I need to tell you." Now was the time to come clean. "Hallie, I've been lying to you about some stuff." Hallie burst into tears and pushed Hunter away from her. "Let me explain! I only did it because there was no way you would believe me." She kept pushing him away, but he held on tight. "Listen, when I told you that I was home schooled I lied. There's really no easy way to say this, so I'm just going to say it. Hallie, I'm a wizard."

She managed a laugh through her tears. "Don't lie to me, Hunter! I thought you said that I was special! What's the real reason?"

"You are very special to me! Please, I'm telling the truth. Let me prove it to you! Just sit here and I'll be right back. I swear." Hunter went into the spare room to retrieve his wand.

"I suppose that's your magic wand."

"Yeah, actually it is," he replied sheepishly. "Orchideous!" A bouquet of flowers came out of the end of the wand. Hunter handed them to Hallie, which she reluctantly took. "I know it's weird, but please believe me. I don't even know if it's legal for me to tell you this. You can't tell anyone."

Hallie was quiet now. She stared into the flowers, not knowing exactly what to say. "Show me something else," she muttered.

Hunter pointed his wand at the chair on the other side of the room and said, "Wingardium Leviosa!" The chair rose off the ground and then settled back where it was. "So, do you believe me?" he asked.

"Yeah, I believe you. But this is just way too strange. Hunter, you need to tell me the truth; the whole truth." They sat on the couch as Hunter told her the whole story; about Hogwarts, and magic, and even Quidditch.

"So, are you going to get in trouble for telling me this?" she asked at the end.

"I don't know. And I don't care either. I had to tell you. You're too important to me." He smiled, making her smile. Hallie moved closer to him and kissed his cheek sweetly. "And think about it this way. We got through our first fight."

They got up and got their coats on and walked out the door. Hallie wrapped her arm through Hunter's and they kept close to fight off the cold. They arrived at Purge and Dowse, Ltd, and Hallie asked, "What are we doing here? This place is always under renovation."

"Don't worry. It's magic, remember." He pulled her through the glass and into St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Hallie looked around, clearly amazed. The two walked up to the front desk and were directed to the second floor, room 213.

Neville was the only occupant of the room. He opened his eyes slightly and smiled when Hunter touched his arm and said "Hey, Grandpa. I brought Hallie with me." This was all he could handle and went back under. The Healers still could not find out what was wrong. There was only one other chair in the room, but Hallie and Hunter could easily fit into it. They cuddled up next to each other and sat for a while.

"Hunter?" Hallie asked.

"Hmm?" he replied playing with the curls in her hair.

"When you said that I was special to you; how special did you mean?"

"Very special."

"How special is that?" Her eyes started to droop; sleep falling upon her.

"More special than anyone I know." His eyes started to close as well. "Hallie... I love you."

"I love you too." They both drifted off to sleep. Neville Longbottom looked down on his grandson and his friend and smiled. He suddenly felt better. No matter what happened he would be happy because his grandson had found true love.

THE END


End file.
